Modern highways are frequently traversed by motor homes towing an automobile which is easily detached from the motor home when it is parked, and then can be used to travel to any place the driver wishes. Generally, such motor homes and their towed automobiles must rely upon the brakes of the motor home to slow or stop tandem vehicles. This is a dangerous arrangement because it rapidly wears down the brakes of the motor home. There is no convenient means on the market today to install a brake system in the towed automobile and make it controllable by the driver of the motor home. There are systems now used on freight trucks and trailers to apply separately the brakes of the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle, but these are apparently only available for vehicles having brake systems using compressed air as the force to apply the brakes of the towed vehicle; i.e., the brakes are air brakes. Systems of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,800,980; 3,583,771 and 3,796,468. Ordinary automobiles, however, have hydraulic brakes.
Two prior art patents disclose systems that are designed to function with motor homes towing an automobile. U.S. Pat. No. 2,177,469 discloses a system in which the driver of the towing vehicle actuates a vacuum system in the towed vehicle to push a rod against the brake pedal of the towed vehicle. This system is not simple and could not be installed by the ordinary driver having no specialized experience as a car mechanic. U.S. Pat. No. 2,711,228 discloses a hydraulic system for depressing the brake pedal of the towed vehicle by the driver of the towing vehicle, but it requires a hydraulic line to be suspended between the vehicles, and, therefore, is subject to accidental loss of pressure, and may unintentionally permit the entrance of air into the system when being connected or disconnected.
It is an object of this invention to provide a system for selectively operating the brakes of a towed vehicle by operation of the driver of the towing vehicle. It is another object of this invention to provide such a system made from readily available components and easily installed in a vehicle without professional assistance. Still other objects will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.